The Whole Story By: Campbell, Ffyona 1996 Type: Travelogue
 
53% : You learn about interesting travels and growing up
Review : I had read the walk through Africa book before this and I thought she was learning some things from her travels, but not as much as she could have been cos She seemed to think the end goal is the main thing so she charged on at 30 miles a day plus and protected by a support team, so she was usually missing out on interacting with the local culture. I didn't admire her , because I thought the idea of covering every step was stupid and I can't sympathise with pain you bring upon yourself. There is no point in being a martyr for no reason ; if it gets boring or dangerous to your health you should stop. Walk in the desert for a day and you'll appreciate the desert, but I don't think you learn 10 times as much by walking for 10 days in the desert. Especially if you could spend 5 days learning the local language and then walk for a day ..I'm sure you learn more than walking for 10 days. When she goes back to America without a support team she really gets closer to the culture.

but she had got into a false thing the concept of walking everystep and the sponsors had backed that so she couldn't get out of it. then she gets pushed into being a role model asymbol of determination (but she knows its not true inside) can you imagine though if the British press had published it first ?

She is difficult to like. Her morals are relaxed .. she stole things when young she moves from man to man. She is selfish in her single mindedness (when does tenacity become stubborness ?) She is not as strong as she thinks she is , in fact she can be a bit unstable I like her more after reading this. She's a bit crazy , but at least she didn't stop at home .. she did travel and she did learn. I think she changed her way of travelling.

She began to steal as a child ... I guess it was exciting to prove you can get away with breaking the laws

she also got a taste for a challenge

She is portrayed as selfish ,but constantly she is used by the sponsors and press.. she doen't have control

meaning :
  • She knows that her upbringing makes her a bad person in some ways..it's nobodies fault ..
  • Any fair minded person has to admit that she really is the first woman to walk around the world, but any logically minded person has to also admit that it means nothing. She's not any better than a hardworking teacher, mother or doctor etc
  • Did she do just to gain the love of her father ? bet she's very like him !
  • compassion based on pity is as bad as greed, you think you are doing something good , but you don't really understand so you make it worse e.g. giving aid .. compassion based on sharing is good.
  • The press are bastards.
  • No one understands how difficult it is walking 30 miles a day until they do it
    Never criticise a man until you have walked a million miles in his shoes, that way if he is offended he won't be able to hurt you cos he will be a million miles away and without any shoes !
  • She learns that human progress is not necessarily progress ...we could self destruct ..The Doomsday Book Gorden Raton-Raylor
  • She notices that as people become more industrialised they become socially poorer. The women sing as they thrash the corn with a machine they just wait. The americans are poor, malnourished (overweight), lonely in their big cars their children screech for more things, no respect for the old (only for babies), frightened (of evil strangers ..well Africans are frightened of evil spirits !) ...is this lot just romantisised ?
She is growing up the hard way. She hasn't got there yet ,but do we ever
Were the instabilities of her childhood the reason for her mental instabilities or/and do they make her more broadminded ?
synopsis : You know she walked around the world. You probably know she cheated. This is her explanation ...16 Britain (North To South), 18 USA, 21 Australia, 24 Africa, 26 Europe , 27 Britain (South to North)
comments : "she covers her body with the logos of corporate sponsors while castigating multinational corporations for destroying the earth. She walks farther than any woman before her but doesn't seem to notice a single pretty thing during the entire journey. "
"It didn't seem very much fun, did it?" Ffyona Campbell says to me with a slightly muted laugh. Magazine article

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